News of: Friday, 20th of November, 2009

Front Page

The light of justice yesterday completely removed the darkness that had hung over the nation for 34 years following the heinous killing of Bangabandhu as the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence to a dozen killers earlier confirmed by the High Court.

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court yesterday issued a "short order" with its opinions on all five points pressed by appellants in the Bangabandhu killing case. In one observation, the court said it was not a case of criminal conspiracy to commit mutiny, but a criminal conspiracy to murder Bangabandhu and other members of his family.

Both the complainant and investigation officer (IO) of the Bangabandhu murder case are eager to see the earliest execution of the killers of Bangabandhu and want the government to bring back the six absconding killers as quickly as possible to ensure their punishment.

The five condemned convicts of Bangabandhu murder case who are now behind bars will be executed by the end of January or early in February next year, if their petitions for reviewing the yesterday's Supreme Court verdict and for the presidential mercy are rejected.

Barrister Abdullah-al Mamun, counsel for convicts Bazlul Huda and AKM Mohiuddin, yesterday said they would file a review petition with the Supreme Court within the stipulated 30 days after getting certified copy of the SC judgment.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been chosen for the prestigious Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development this year for her "outstanding contribution to the promotion of democracy and pluralism".

A suicide bomber killed 19 people yesterday outside a courthouse in northwestern Pakistan, the latest attack in an onslaught by Islamist militants fighting back against an army offensive in the nearby Afghan border region.

Editorial

The Supreme Court's upholding of the convictions of the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family should now bring a long national agony to an end. The pains the nation has gone through since the Father of the Nation and most members of his family were cut down on 15 August 1975 have also been for it a living shame. The shame stems from the fact that for twenty-one years from 1975 to 1996, the course of justice was obstructed by the infamous indemnity ordinance protecting the assassins. The ordinance, decreed by the usurper regime of Khondokar Moshtaq in September 1975, was incorporated in the constitution through the Fifth Amendment by the Ziaur Rahman regime in 1979. Nowhere in the world has there been such an instance of a deliberate closing of all avenues to justice. And this was the shame we lived with, until the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina repealed the black law in 1996 and brought Bangabandhu's assassins to trial. In November 1998, Bangabandhu's assassins were condemned to death. The process unfortunately was not taken to a logical judicial conclusion. The delays, the frequent instances of judges feeling embarrassed to hear the appeals of the convicted and the clear, pathetic indifference of the BNP-Jamaat alliance government toward pursuing the case were to lead to a stalemate. Despite exhortations to reconstitute the bench by placing new judges there, the then government kept looking the other way. It could have done better.

The frustration of the Upazila Parishad chairmen has again come to the open. Their complaints are against the Members of Parliament (MPs) and bureaucrats, whose interference, they say, has rendered them completely non-functional. So, they have urged the government to empower them financially for the sake of a strong local government.

PARLIAMENTARY democracy is a way of life that demands of its adherents qualities like tolerance, respect for differing views and freedom for all to express their grievances and seek legitimate remedies. The raison d'etre of our war of independence was parliamentary democracy, and that commitment had been reflected in the Constitution although subsequent amendments stood in the way of smooth functioning of parliamentary democracy. Parliamentary democracy, despite the fact that it is very expensive, is the best form of governance in the contemporary world.

BARACK Obama said that time had run out to secure a legally binding climate deal at the Copenhagen summit in December and threw his support behind plans to delay a formal pact until next year at the earliest. The US president supported a Danish plan to salvage something from next month's meeting by aiming to make it a first-stage series of commitments rather than an all-encompassing protocol.

The SAFF Cham-pionship has been named after Bangabandhu as Beximco, country's one of leading business house, has won the sponsorship right of the regional football extravaganza, scheduled for December 4-13 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.

Minnows Slovenia will leave for the World Cup in South Africa with clean boots after Prime Minister Borut Pahor was forced to eat his words and get polishing following his country's play-off victory over Russia.

Abul Hasan continued his happy hunting against the visiting Zimbabwe Under-19 team as the right-arm paceman claimed four wickets to ensure Bangladesh Under-19's 43-run victory in the fourth one-dayer at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra yesterday.

The West Indians' tour is less than a week old but Australia so far have little to fear after the visitors' performance over the first two days against Queensland. While tour matches are often unfair gauges of a side's capabilities, this inexperienced squad has struggled to create highlights against a state side full of fresh faces and is destined for more exacting workouts in the three-Test series.

North South University emerged champions in the Mentor's Inter-Private University Football tournament when they handed a 2-0 defeat to Independent University in the final at Army Stadium in Banani yesterday.

Graeme Swann has joined Stuart Broad on the sidelines for the first two one-day internationals against South Africa, after failing to recover from the side strain that ruled him out of Tuesday's warm-up match against South Africa A at Potchefstroom. James Tredwell has been drafted into the squad as cover.

Business

A rail transit between Bangladesh and Nepal, as desired by India at the foreign secretary level talks in Dhaka, could only be fruitful if Nepal is given a go-ahead for external trade through the use of Bangladesh's Mongla and Chittagong ports, say analysts.

The World Trade Organisation on Wednesday said governments have managed to avoid serious protectionism, with trade-distorting measures introduced amounting to at most one per cent of merchandise trade.

Ahead of the maiden Primary Education Terminal Examination for the students of class V, Dhaka Metropolitan Police yesterday imposed restriction on public access within 200 yards of the exam centres to ensure peaceful atmosphere.

State Minister for Religious Affairs Advocate Md Shahjahan Miah yesterday requested all to arrange prayers of gratitude (shokrana munajat) and doa mahfil at all mosques across the country, including Baitul Mokarram Mosque, after Juma prayers today, as the Appellate division of the Supreme Court upheld the High Court verdict in Father of the Nation Bangabandhu murder case.

Death anniversary of martyred freedom fighter brothers Ahmed Hossain and Mohammad Hossain was observed yesterday at their village home in Nagripara in Mohammadpur upazila of Magura district. The two brave sons of Magura embraced martyrdom during Liberation War of 1971 while fighting with Pakistani occupation forces on November 19. To mark the day, discussion meeting, doa mahfil and destitute feeding were held on the premises of the martyrs at Nagripara in Mohammadpur upazila. Valiant freedom fighters Nesaruddin Ahmed, Nuruzzaman, Dr Tilam Hossain, Abdus Salam and Solaiman Molla, among others, attended the programme. Mohammad Hossain was an assistant teacher of Shaganna Primary School in Jhenidah district while Ahmed Hossain was a teacher at Parla Secondary School in Mohammadpur upazila. According to local freedom fighters, Ahmed and Mohammad were killed when they along with their co-fighters attacked Mohammadpur TTDC camp of Pakistan occupation forces and Razakars (collaborators) in the early hours of November 19.

A conference of the BNP arranged for forming the party's Talki union committee in Nokla upazila was foiled by the local Awami League (AL) supporters on Wednesday. Local BNP sources said, the AL men launched an attack on the conference which was being held at Bibir Char Madrassah ground at about 4: 00pm. During the attack, they also beat up local BNP leader Manzurul Huq and some workers and also damaged three motorbikes of the party men, they said.

A court here on Wednesday convicted a man and awarded him life term rigorous imprisonment (RI) for killing his uncle at Baubond village in Sadar Dakkhin upazila in 2005. The lifer was identified as Abdul Jalil, son of Abul Hashem of the village. The court also fined the convict Tk 5,000, in default, to suffer two years more RI. According to the prosecution, Jalil stabbed his uncle Abul Hossain mercilessly on July 16, 2005 over a trifling matter, leaving him dead on the spot.

A young man aged about 25 was crashed under the train near Boral railway station in Bhangura upazila early Wednesday. Police said, the incident occurred when Dhaka-bound Padma Express train from Rajshahi was crossing the railway station at about 6:00 am. The victim might be a passenger who accidentally fell from the running train and crushed under its wheels, police observed. Officer- in-charge (OC) of Sirajganj GRP Md Mursalin said, another person was killed in the same way on Majgram rail line of the upazila two days ago.

A young man was killed in a gun attack near Shalna overbridge in Sadar upazila Monday night. The identity of the victim could not be known immediately. Witnesses said, a gang of criminals opened fire on the youth, aged around 35, at about 11:30pm, killing him on the spot. On information, police recovered the body on Tuesday morning and sent it to Sadar hospital morgue for autopsy.

At least two people were wounded in a bomb attack at Gopinathpur village in Harinakundu upazila on Sunday night. Police said, a gang of criminals stormed into the house of Rabiul Islam and hurled a bomb on the house inmates failing to rob money from him. Rabiul and his uncle Idris Ali were injured in the bomb attack. The injured were admitted to Harinakundu health complex.

A female worker of a brick field was killed when a wall of the kiln collapsed on her at Bawnat in Kapasia upazila on Monday. Witnesses said, Haridasi,45, wife of Birendra Chandra, was injured severely when a wall of the kiln of SMB Brick Field collapsed on her while she was at work at noon. She was first admitted to upazila health complex and then referred to Dhaka. Haridasi died on way to the capital city.

Nine shops were gutted in a fire that broke out in Gouripur Bazar of Daudkandi upazila on Monday night. Fire brigade sources said, the fire originated from an oven in a blacksmith shop at about 10:30pm and soon engulfed the adjoining shops. On information, two fire fighting units from Sadar and Muradnagar upazilas rushed in and doused the flame after two hours of hectic efforts. The extent of damage is estimated by the shop owners at Tk 25 lakh.

Letters

Tawfiq Ali's report on this important matter, published by you on 8 November, is the current headache for Metropolitan Dhaka City. The report related is to the growing environment pollution of the city. The report also clearly points out the illegal activities of a number of public bodies and utilities in permitting the location of the factories in Dhaka city, in the first place! The vice president of Gulshan Society has stated that at least one hundred factories are located in the Gulshan residential area for which we the residents here have to suffer the most. It deprives us of water and power facilities which are usurped by these illegal factories!

Another big achievement by the US President. The House of Representatives has passed the HCR bill by 220 to 215 votes. The significant issues are that 39 Democrats representatives voted against the bill, and only 1 Republican Congressman has voted in favour. This is already known all over.

Well, I didn't think I would have to write so soon again on this topic. But my friend Mr. Sikander (thanks to him for considering me a friend) has once more compelled me to write back. Before I continue, I would like to request Mr. Sikander to look at the front page picture of the Daily Ittefaq dated November 6, 09 with the caption “City's busiest road Dainik Bangla crossing is almost obstructed due to rickshaws” which perhaps will bring him to reality and the nuisance rickshaws are creating in our city.

Zoonotic diseases are those transmitted from animal to human and vice-versa. We know that zoonotic infection spreads rapidly under rural conditions, especially in the developing countries. No systemic data is presently available to evaluate the socio-economic impact of diseases in general and zoonoses in particular. Although livestock is the main source of meat and milk for human consumption, human health hazards associated with these foods of animal origin have great importance from the public health point of view. Diseases like avian influenza, rabies, TB , brucellosis, tetanus , amoebiasis, cysticercosis, fascialiosis etc are found to be common as zoonotic disease in Bangladesh. Approximately 2,000 people who come into contact with rabid animals die of hydrophobia annually in Bangladesh. TB of cattle can be transmitted to man through contact with diseased animals or their products like milk or meat. Milkman and other people drinking raw milk are infected with brucellosis each year in Bangladesh. Amoebiasis is a common disease among the rural people of our country.

The yearly ritual of wastefulness has begun and this usually lasts till March. During these 4-5 months, the privileged class (net worth 10 crore +) indulges in their annual orgy of throwing lavish parties in 3*,4*,5* hotels, clubs, resorts and convention centres. The occasion could be anything, though birthdays, engagements, weddings are still the most common by far. Receipt of a foreign award (purchased or wangled?), arrival of a 'foreign dignitary' (junior minister from Moldavia, for instance), academic degrees obtained by children in some foreign university, etc, are also some of the fit excuses for the parties.

Our Economic & Administrative activities and infrastructural developments are centralized in Dhaka as the Capital City. Nowadays, Dhaka is worst affected by acute traffic congestion that leads to loss of working hours as well as costly fuel imported with foreign exchange. Our economy is not in a position to allow this type of luxury. However, the only positive aspect of the acute traffic congestion is- it makes people read newspapers!!

The New Age in its front-page article of November 8th, 2009 quoted a Dhaka University professor saying that he does not support public university academics working as consultants because it “warrants no creativity” and that “teachers should be engaged only in teaching”. I strongly disagree with both these statements.

Reports are being published in The Daily Star on the predicament of the Aila hit people of Satkhira and Khulna districts. The stories published in the paper emanated from the sympathy of the reporters, though these are inadequate and most of the sufferings of people are not properly described. Actually, it cannot be described unless anybody lives on the spot for a few days, at least.

Arts & Entertainment

On November 18, Moaser Theatre Group from Iran staged "My Wild Duck" at the ongoing International Ibsen Seminar and Theatre Festival. Staged at National Theatre Hall, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, the production was an adaptation of Ibsen's "The Wild Duck".

Two acclaimed documentaries from Bangladesh and an array of movies on thought-provoking subjects ranging from modern version of an ancient love story between a Muslim prince and a Hindu woman and effects of militancy on the human psyche will mark the South Asian Documentary Film Festival to be held in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir state, from November 23 to 25.

Today marks Poet Sufia Kamal's (1911-1999) 10th death anniversary. The poet, writer, organiser and women's rights activist was born to a conservative Muslim family in Barisal. When she died in 1999, she was buried with full state honour, the first woman in Bangladesh to receive this tribute.

OP-ED

EDUCATION is the best means of human resource development. Without it a country's socio-economic and cultural development can neither take place nor be sustained. But Bangladesh has lagged behind on this particular issue compared to other developed and developing countries, though primary education is compulsory in Bangladesh.

AT the outset of the classes I teach, I always address the question of bias in the social sciences. In one course -- on the history of the global economy -- this is the central theme. It critiques Eurocentric biases in several leading Western accounts of the rise of the global economy.